How to take nice photos of ponies for sale?

[Haruna]

Well, I have more ponies for sale, and I was wondering if anyone (especially sellers) has any advice for getting a pretty photo of a pony. My sister is great at doing this and often volunteers to take the pictures for me, but she's really busy with an accounting internship (tax season, fun). The photos I take are decent but I'd like them to be prettier. Is it lighting? Background? What's important? Any advice is appreciated.

[Aadra310]

Personally, background (or lack thereof) is very important when I'm shopping!  I don't want to be distracted by what's on your wall, floor, bed, table, etc.  I use a scrap piece of black velvet for my photos as it really absorbs light and makes anything you put on it pop!  If you don't have that, a piece of white (or even blue or black) poster board works well.  For poster board, I just tape it to the wall and then to the table so it makes a curve (don't fold it!).  This gives you a really crisp, clean background with nothing to distract the buyer (and it's cheap!).  Lighting is also important so I have to wait for a good time of day with light coming in through the window since my camera is a cheap point-and-shoot.

I think the key is taking the time to put together a decent set-up and then you end up with more professional photos!

[hathorcat]

I ll second the background - as clear of everything as possible and I always try to keep to a single colour if possible (something that will make the pony pop).

[Pheasant]

Even if you aren't concerned about image theft, it's always a good idea to have your username somewhere in the picture. I usually add mine (for example, Sundown @ MLPArena) with a basic photo-editing program. But if you don't have one, you can always draw it on a small piece of paper and photograph it with the pony.

[Haruna]

Thank you guys! Very helpful. I think the part I have the most problem with is lighting; often I take pictures under fluorescent light, but I'm not sure that looks best. Maybe if I took pictures in the sunroom . . . hmmm . . .

[Shy Violet]

I think the most important things are a solid colored poster board for the background and natural sunlight. I take my photos at a certain time of day, usually in the afternoon when the sun is high and not coming directly in the window. I put the blinds down but aim the slats upwards so the light is reflected up and off the ceiling instead of directly on the item. Then you get a nice soft light and don't get hard shadows. I take my photos with my iPhone 5 so no fancy camera. I also edit my photos to brighten the white background and make the pony or item pop more. I'm not as finicky with my pony photos but with my item photos for my business I definitely take care to get good lighting.

[silverdawn]

Even with a point and click you can still get decent images.  I photograph against white paper taped to two large boxes, then curve it down to my table top.  I invested in two cheapy desk lamps and stick 100 watt bulbs in them.   Normal cameras will adjust the overall color of the photograph to pull it to and "even" black white ratio.  Which makes white backgrounds look grey.  I know very involved people can get background over exposure lights, but I cannot.  Therefore I adjust the white balance on the camera  the +/- feature that goes up by 1/3 until it's around 1.  Depending on the camera maybe 2/3 or 1 and 1/3.  That keeps the background more white.  Just make sure not to wash out out your pony.

Also, because you're using 100 watt bulbs, you need to adjust the light conditions of your camera, or else you'll end up with a yellow haze to the picture.  You want to pick the option that looks like a little light bulb.

Also, turn off your flash for these.

Darker ponies photograph better because the camera picks up more of a contrast between them and your white background.  Pale ponies, like Mimic, don't do as well, and your background ends up looking grey, unless you wash out the pony to make it white.  It's a balancing act.  If I had flash activated background lighting to overexpose the white background, I could do it... but I don't, so I settle.

And that's how I do this. (Shameless Auction Plulg)


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[Haruna]

This is very helpful! I'll have to try what you guys are suggesting! (And silverdawn, your picture is beautiful!!)

[LadySiha]

I don't sell things, but I used to take a lot of pictures of inanimate objects. 

I find background to be important, as others have suggested.  Something that makes the subject pop or even compliments the color nicely.  I personally don't think there's any problem with a pattern as long as it's not too busy and is a a bit on the subtle side.

For lighting I prefer natural light or some kind of LED bulb.  I have a small LED craft light for if I'm taking pictures indoors if it's too cold/I can't get outside, but when I can I love to use natural light.  You just need to be aware of casting shadows, and that sort of thing.

This was outdoor with natural lighting (actually in shade) using long grass as a background:
http://ladysiha.deviantart.com/art/Morrigan-MLP-Custom-401654537

And this is how I tend to do an indoor set-up (pardon the photo quality as it's my older camera):
http://ladysiha.deviantart.com/art/Candy-Charm-Bracelet-146221468

[Sarah-Bee]

I agree with what others have said about background and lighting.

In the UK we suffer long dark winters but still need to photograph ponies for sale so I invested in a couple of lamps and bought daylight bulbs which help to avoid the yellowing of the ponies, already mentioned. I use two, one at either side but for best results a third in front of and above the pony is good It's just a matter of adjusting the two or three lamps until there are no shadows in the area you are photographing.